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Bulawayo-Gwelo_morning_mixed_train_15A_360. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Passenger services east from Bulawayo, to the capital Salisbury (today Harare), were run usually as part of mixed trains. Taking water at Lochard Siding on 27th October 1973, Class 15A No.360 (BP 7234.1947), was in charge of the morning mixed from Bulawayo to Salisbury. The train was composed of fifteen assorted freight wagons and six coaches, which will be hauled by the Garratt to Gwelo, for a diesel locomotive to take forward to Salisbury. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Bulawayo-Gwelo_morning_mixed_train_Class_DE8. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. While Class 15A No.360 was taking water at Lochard Siding, a freight train from Gwelo to Bulawayo arrived, with visible proof that sanctions against Rhodesia were being breached. In the freight train was a brand-new Co-Co diesel of Class DE8, which was comprised of an amalgam of components from several countries. None of those components, from the largest to the smallest, bore any maker’s mark or serial number, but the whole machine was constructed by Soreframe of Portugal, a country supposedly a signatory to the United Nations resolutions. Fourteen DE8, and twenty each, of Classes DE8A and DE8B, were delivered by Soreframe between 1973 and 1977, all in defiance of the UN. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Bulawayo_goods_yard_14A_518. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. At a time when Rhodesia faced UN sanctions for its Universal Declaration of Independence (UDI), freight traffic in exports and imports nevertheless remained buoyant. Class 14A 2-6-2+2-6-2 Beyer Garratt No.518 (BP 7591/1953), busily shunts wagons in Bulawayo goods depot, 27th October 1973. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Bulawayo_shed_19_318. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Henschel delivered twenty, 19th Class 4-8-2 to Rhodesia during 1951/2. By 1973, partly because of UN sanctions, spare parts were difficult to obtain so only three 19th Class remained in service with Rhodesia Railways, although others had been sold into industrial use. Here, No.318 (Hen 27388/1951), was acting as Bulawayo shed pilot on 26th October 1973. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Bulawayo_shed_East_end_15A_367. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Class 15A 4-6-4+4-6-4 Beyer Garratt No.367(BP 7263/1948) takes water at the east end of Bulawayo engine shed. 26th October 1973. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Bulawayo_shed_East_end_panorama. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. The east end of Bulawayo engine shed, with its collection of Beyer Garratts, is seen at the height of noon, 26th October 1973. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Bulawayo_shed_West_end_panorama. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. The west end of Bulawayo engine shed is where locomotives just returned from traffic, or awaiting attention, were parked. Six Beyer Garratts are visible with behind, the twin gabled roof over the depot’s repair shop. 26th October 1973. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Bulawayo_station_15A_358. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Class 15A Beyer Garratt No.358 (BP 7232/1947), propels carriage stock into Bulawayo station, from where it will later depart with the morning train to Victoria Falls. 27th October 1973. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Bulawayo_station_16A_628. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Having brought in a freight train on 27th October 1973, Class 16A 2-8-2+2-8-2 Beyer Garratt No.628 (BP 7506/1952), spectacularly rushes through Bulawayo station on its way to the engine shed. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Bulawayo_station_pilot_12 177. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Rhodesian Railways Class 12 No.177 (NBL 23378/1926) is busily employed as station pilot at Bulawayo, on 27th October 1973. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Bulawayo_station_pilots_12_177_&_190. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Bulawayo station on 27th October 1973, where two Class 12 4-8-2 were at work on pilot duties. Nearest, No.177 (NBL 23378/1926), was station pilot, No.190 (NBL 23391/1926), carriage pilot. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Gwelo_G&DLR_No.1 'Buckeye.' Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. A unique feature of Gwelo was the Gwelo & District Light Railway (G&DLR), a 2ft (610mm) gauge system which opened in March 1964 and looped around a public park for 1.6 miles (2.5km). Run as a charity, the railway provided rides for visitors and their families, hauled by one of two, Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-0T. On 27th October 1973, locomotive No.1 ‘Buckeye’ (OK 12708/1935), donated by a forestry railway, was not in use and stood outside the engine shed. After the G&DLR closed in the mid-1980s ‘Buckeye’ was privately purchased and now runs in California. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Gwelo_G&DLR_No.2. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. The second O&K locomotive owned by the Gwelo & District Light Railway was No.2, of unknown building date and works number. It was named ‘Margaret’ after the wife of the manager of the Selukwe Peak chromium mine, which company donated loco No.2 and the two carriages seen here at Nether Gwelo station. The writer does not know the engine’s final fate, only that like No.1 it was purchased by an overseas buyer. It is sobering to realise that the little girl on the station platform and the children enjoying a train ride with their parents, are all now aged in their latter fifties! roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Gwelo_shed_12_254. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Situated roughly half-way between Bulawayo and Salisbury, the town of Gwelo was by 1973, the change-over point for steam and diesel. Accordingly, Gwelo depot was slowly being wound-down for housing active steam, as evidenced by this picture from 27th October 1973. Class 12 No.254 (NBL 24003/1930) was not in use, neither was the accompanying, unidentified Class 14A Beyer Garratt. Just visible behind the steam locomotives are the roofs of a pair of Class 8E diesels which had brought trains from Salisbury, for going forward behind steam, to Bulawayo. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Gwelo_shed_9th_81_numberplate. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Another 9th Class 4-8-0 found beside Gwelo coaling tower was No.81 (NBL 19744/1912). The locomotive’s number plate shows that it was originally built for the Mashonaland Railway Company Limited, one of ten separate railway operators which gradually merged to become Rhodesia Railways. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Gwelo_shed_9th_92. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Delivery of “sanctions-busting” diesels had allowed Rhodesia Railways to withdraw some of its oldest locomotives, some of which were stored beside Gwelo shed’s coaling plant on 27th October 1973. Here seen is 9th Class 4-8-0 No.92 (NBL 19818/1912), one of thirty of the type, delivered by North British and Beyer Peacock between 1912 and 1917. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Gwelo_shed_coaling_plant. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. Approached between two magnificent Jacaranda trees, Gwelo shed’s coaling plant was a remarkably complex affair! Coal was delivered in wagons, emptied by a grab crane into a hopper, to travel up two conveyors, to the top of the tower. From there it spiralled down into locomotive tenders, as required, passing through a sieve device which separated lumps that were too small, they being diverted via a chute, back into the coal wagons. In other words, from delivery to locomotive, the coal went through a complete mechanical circle! roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Gwelo_station_15A_Garratt_sunset. The setting sun of 27th October 1973 silhouettes and unidentified Class 15A Beyer Garratt waiting to depart with it mixed train for Bulawayo. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Gwelo_station_16A_629. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. After 20 705 and its train had cleared Gwelo goods yard, 16A Class Beyer Garratt No.629 (BP 7507.1952) marshals some empty livestock wagons to the head of the freight train which it will later take to Bulawayo. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Gwelo_station_20_705. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. in October 1973 it was common practice for Gwelo to Bulawayo trains to start in the evening and run through the night. The largest and most powerful steam locomotives operated by Rhodesia Railways were the 4-8-2+2-8-4 Beyer Garratts of Class 20. Here 20 705 (BP 7690/1954), waits in the evening sunshine of 27th October 1973, for the signal to depart on its journey to Bulawayo. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Gwelo_station_20_705_depart. Steam in Southern Africa: Rhodesia 1973. With “smoke by request,” Beyer Garratt No. 20 705 makes an energetic start westwards, from Gwelo goods yard on 27th October 1973. Also seen is Class 16A No.629 which is engaged in shunting to form a freight that will follow the Class 20 and its train to Bulawayo. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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National Railway of Zimbabwe class DE2 No. 1207, owned by Sandstone Estates. 35 of these were built 1955 to 1958 by English Electric (Preston, UK). Reefsteamers depot, Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa. 2018-08-17. tobias b köhler

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National Railway of Zimbabwe class DE2 No. 1207, owned by Sandstone Estates. 35 of these were built 1955 to 1958 by English Electric (Preston, UK). Reefsteamers depot, Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa. 2018-08-17. tobias b köhler